Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW MAY/JUNE 2022 5 NEWS WORLD POTATOCONGRESS TOTAKE PLACE INDUBLIN THE World Potato Congress (WPC) will take place in Dublin, Ireland, enabling an information exchange within the global potato industry fromMay 30th to June 2nd this year. Potato professionals from all over the world will be able to meet each other and learn more about the Irish potato industry during the upcoming edition of the WPC at which more than 60 speakers from 20 countries will discuss current industry topics. A panel of over 60 speakers representing the seed, fresh table and processed potato sectors from 20 different countries will discuss issues like rising costs, sustainability, climate change, the decreasing range of plant protection products, smart farming and smart supermarkets The WPC emphasis will be on potato production as a business and how to improve your bottom line and Ireland’s potato industry will provide technical tours. Fresh Produce & Potato Manager for Irish promotional body Bord Bia, Lorcan Bourke, sees the WPC as a means to promote the role of potatoes in initiating food security in developing countries. He said: “We have been active in this field for years, together with the Irish business community and local NGO Vita. Ireland also supports the WPC initiative to launch an International Potato Day on May 30th and we are delighted that Dr Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, will deliver a keynote speech.” Does the potato have an image problem? UK CONSUMERS could be better in- formed about how their food is produced, according to Antonia Walker, Bayer’s campaign manager for potatoes. A disconnection from the land and how it is farmed means too many consumers don’t appreciate what goes in to producing their food, Antonia states in a recent blog. Grocery retailers play a vital role in promoting understanding but retailers and consumers also need to understand that systems must change and the industry is not renowned for delivering clear messages, she states. Access to levy-funded work FOLLOWING the wind-down of AHDB Horticulture and Potatoes in the UK, the organisation has launched a website specifically for those sectors to ensure previous levy payer investment is protected and accessible. The Horticulture and Potatoes Archive website contains the articles, summaries and knowledge exchange work delivered by AHDB, as well as the research library containing published reports. It will also contain all Extension of Authorisation for Minor Use (EAMU) programme content. Dug fails DNA test GUINNESS World Records says the latest candidate for largest potato doesn’t qualify - because it’s not a potato! New Zealand gardeners, Donna and Colin Craig-Brown, thought they had dug up a world record-breaking potato, but after submitting an application with pictures and a specimen, Guinness World Records sent an email to the Craig-Browns letting them know they had a tuber from a gourd, not a potato. Government response welcomed despite ‘abysmal’ engagement PETITIONERS who called for the demise of the AHDB potato levy have welcomed the Government’s recent response to the consultation, but said it still leaves some uncertainty. News that Defra is recommending a zero-rated levy from April 1st 2022 has been welcomed but the response to news that the potato and horticulture sectors will remain in scope of the AHDB Order is more guarded. In a formal statement, the petitioners state: “We recognise that there were a range of views expressed about horticultural R&D and Defra believes that there may be demand for some people to use the services of AHDB on a voluntary basis. Given that AHDB has already disbanded its horticultural and potatoes infrastructure, this seems unlikely, but we support the principle that growers can choose where to spend their own money on R&D.” Defra stressed that public sector funding through the farm budget in England will not pay for research or other actions that “could reasonably be expected to be funded through levy investment”. The campaigners said this was a disappointing response, given the current state of the nation. “At a time when the world is facing a food crisis, it is regrettable that this government will fund tree planting and re-wilding but will not help improve the efficiency of healthy and sustainable food production,” the statement says. SCHOOL CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT POTATOES’ HISTORY AND GROWTH MORE than 200 school children from Peterborough and the surrounding area were able to plant potatoes and lettuce, as well as learn about how potatoes are grown and the local history of potato farming with the East of England Agricultural Society’s education initiative, Kids Country. Schools that took part were Leighton Primary School, Newark Hill Academy, Orton Wistow Primary School and William Law C of E Primary School. Kids Country has also delivered Grow Your Own Produce in their ‘event in a box’ format to Guyhirn Primary School, Ken Stimpson Community School and Wisbech St. Mary Church of England Academy.